Stacked drapery pin hooks and holder



ay '7, 1968 M. A. SALTZ 3,381,811

STACKED DRAPERY PIN HOOKS AND HOLDER Filed Oct. 10, 1966 INVENTOR. .42 0221s A. SQLTZ y z w United States Patent 3,381,811 STACKED DRAPERY PIN HOOKS AND HOLDER Morris A. Saltz, 1083 S. Ogden Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90019 Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,463 9 Claims. (Cl. 20656) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A drapery pin hook assembly in which a spline passes through the eye portions of a stack of drapery hooks to retain the hooks properly oriented in stacked relation.

The present invention relates to drapery hooks, and more particularly to packages or stacks of hooks adapted to be used in power and hand operated devices for inserting the hooks in drapes, curtains, and the like, to be suspended by the hooks from appropriate hanger supports.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved stack of drapery pin hooks and a holder therefor, in which the drapery pin hooks are held and maintained in aligned or stacked relation, with all of the pin hooks oriented in the same direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for holding drapery pin hooks properly aligned and in stacked relation for shipment and storage, the device being easily removable from the stacked hooks following their mounting in an apparatus for dispensing and inserting the pin hooks in drapery and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drapery pin hook package and holder of the type above described, in which the holder for the hooks is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble in a stack of aligned pin hooks, and in which the holder retains the pin hooks in aligned and stacked relation.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several forms in which it may be embodied. Such forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one form of stacked drapery pin hooks and a holder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembly disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 33 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 4-4 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an isometric projection of the holder or spline of FIG. 1 on which the drapery pin hooks are mounted;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of a slightly modified form of holder or spline.

As illustrated in the drawings, the stacked drapery pin hooks and holder each include a holder portion or spline A of spring-like or flexible material that may be somewhat stiff, on which a stack of drapery pin hooks B are to be assembled and retained in aligned and stacked relation.

As specifically disclosed, each drapery hook includes a pin portion 10 terminating in a forward point 11, the

3,381,81 l Patented May 7, 1968 "ice other end of the pin portion merging into a curved web 12, which, in turn, merges into an inner arm 13 extending generally parallel to the pin portion. The outer portion 14 of the inner arm is bent outwardly at an angle, being inclined in a forward direction away from the pin portion 10. This bent arm portion, in turn, merges into a rearwardly and outwardly bent portion 15 of an outer arm 16, the rearward projecting portion 17 of which is generally parallel to the inner arm 13 of the hook itself. In effect, the two inclined inner and outer arm portions 14, 15 form a generally V-shape for appropriate suspension of the drapery hook from a suitable hanger (not shown) in a known manner. The inner arm portion 18 adjacent to the curved web 12 is spaced from the pin portion 10 to provide an opening or eye 20, which, as described hereinbelow, is utilized in connection with the holder or spline A in retaining the hooks adjacent to each other and in properly oriented relation to one another. This inner arm portion 18 is inclined with respect to the inner portion 21 of the pin portion 10 adjacent to the curved web 12.

The elongate holder or spline A is made of flexible material, and is of U or V shape in cross-section, including opposed arms 30, 30 facing in the same direction and merging into a web or intermediate portion 31. When unrestricted, the distance between the inner ends of the arms 30 of the spline is slightly less than the transverse distance across the eye 20 of each drapery pin hook, the distance between the outer ends 32 of the arms preferably being slightly greater than the transverse distance between the inner portion 21 of the pin and the inner arm portion 18 at the end of the eye 20, and where the eye merges into a relatively narrow gap 33 between the pin portion 10 and the inner arm 13 of the drapery pin hook.

The U or V-shaped holder or spline A is insertable through the aligned eyes 20 of a stack of drapery pin hooks B, and with the pin portions 10 of the latter all facing in the same direction, the spline being disposed fully within the aligned eyes 20 of the drapery pin hooks. The web or intermediate portion 31 of the spline is arranged adjacent to the curved webs 12 of the drapery pin hooks, and the free outer ends 32 of the arms will frictionally bear against the inner arm portions 18 and 21 of the inner arm and pin portions 13, 10, respectively, of the drapery pin hooks.

The length of the arms 30 of the holder or spline A is greater than the transverse distance across the eye 20 of each drapery pin hook to prevent any substantial relative turning of the holder or spline within the pin hooks, retaining the latter in substantial alignment and properly oriented relation with respect to one another. Initially, the distance across the outer ends 32 of the holder arms is slightly greater than the transverse distance across the eye 20 of each pin hook, where such eye will enter the relatively narrow space 33 between the pin portion 10' and the inner arm 13. However, the arms 30 at an end portion of the spline A can be pressed together slightly to enable the stack of pin hooks B to he slipped over the spline, and with the intermediate or web portion 31 of the spline adjacent to the curved webs 12 of the pin hooks, the movement of the pin hooks relatively longitudinally of the spline causing the pin portions 10 and inner arms 13 of the pin hooks to shift the arms 30 slightly toward each other, the arms 30 the-n frictionally bearing against such pin portions 21 and inner arms 18 of the drapery pin hooks. This frictional engagement will prevent inadvertent sliding of the pin hooks B longitudinally along the holder or spline A, and their loss or removal from either end of the latter. In this manner, the drapery pin hooks are retained or held in stacked and oriented relation with respect to one another, and they will remain in that relation during storage and shipment.

When the drapery pin hooks are to be used in a pin inserting apparatus, which, for example, may be of the power operated type illustrated in United States Patent No. 3,040,328, the stack of drapery pin hooks B with the holder A assembled within their eyes is placed within the holder (not shown) of the hook inserting apparatus; whereupon the holder or spline A may be stripped or pulled out of the eyes 20, the holder of the apparatus retaining the drapery pin hooks in appropriate assembled relation with respect to each other for successive feeding into position in which they are inserted into the drapery, or the like. The frictional engagement of the arms 30 of the holder or spline with the inner arms 18 and pin portions 21 of the drapery pin hooks need only be relatively light, so that no difficulty is encountered in removing the holder or spline from the stack of drapery hooks.

If desired, the U or V-shaped holder A may fit relatively loosely in the eye portions 20 of the drapery pin hooks B, and it will still retain the latter substantially in alignment and oriented relation with respect to one another.

Assuming a loose fit, the drapery pin hooks B may be prevented from dropping off the holder or spline by flaring the arms of the spline at one or both of its ends 40 outwardly (such as disclosed in FIG. 6), so as to form a stop 41 against which the outermost drapery pin hook will bear, preventing removal of the drapery pin hooks from the spline. When the stack of drapery pin hooks is to be disposed within the apparatus for insertion in the drapery, or the like, it is a relatively simple matter for the flared arm portions 40 at the end of the spline A to be pressed toward one another, permitting stripping of the spline from the stack of hooks. As a matter of fact, the exertion of a force against the stack of hooks B will cause the outermost hook to bear against the flared arm portions 40 and deflect them inwardly to the extent at which the entire stack B can be stripped from the spline or holder A.

The holder or spline can be made of a suitable flexible material, such as of sheet vinyl of any appropriate thickness, or relatively thin sheet metal. The arm portions 30 can be deflected toward one another in inserting the holder A within the eyes 20 of the drapery pin hooks, and such arm portions will spring back to frictionally bear against the inner portions 18 and 21 of the inner arm and pin portions 13, 10, respectively, of the drapery pin hooks.

I claim:

1. A drapery hook assembly, comprising adjacent drapery hooks in abutting and stacked relation and including pin portions adapted to be inserted in drapery 1 and the like, said hooks having aligned eye portions, and an elongate holder extending through said eye portions, said holder having opposed spaced arms bearing against opposite sides of said eye portions of said drapery hooks,

the length of each arm in cross-section being greater than the maximum transverse distance across the opening of the eye portion of each hook.

2. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U-shape.

3. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U- shape, said holder having a web interconnecting said arms, said web being disposed adjacent the outer end of said eye portions, the free ends of said arms being disposed adjacent the inner end of said eye portions.

4. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1;

said holder being of generally =U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U-shape and frictionally engaging the opposite sides of said eye portions of said drapery hooks.

5. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U-shape, said holder having a web interconnecting said arms, said web being disposed adjacent the outer end of said eye portions, the free ends of said arms being disposed adjacent the inner end of said eye portions and frictionally engaging the opposite sides of said eye portions.

6. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said hooks having pin portions and inner arm portions merging at their ends into curved webs, said pin portions, webs, and inner arm portions together defining said eye portions, said arms of said elongate holder bearing against said pin portions and inner arm portions of said hoops where they define said eye portions.

7. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U- shape, said hooks having pin portions and inner arm por' tions merging at their ends into curved webs, said pin portions, webs, and inner arm portions together defining said eye portions, said arms of said elongate U-shaped holder bearing against said pin portions and inner arm portions of said hooks where they define said eye portions.

8. A draper hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U- shape, said holder having a web interconnecting said arms, said web being disposed adjacent the outer end of said eye portions, the free ends of said arms being disposed adjacent the inner end of said eye portions, said hooks having pin portions and inner arm portions merging at their ends into curved webs, said pin portions, inner arm portions, and webs of said hooks together defining said eye portions, said web of said holder being disposed adjacent said webs of said hooks, and the free ends of said holder arms being disposed adjacent and bearing against said pin portions and inner arm portions of said hooks where they define said eye portions.

9. A drapery hook assembly as defined in claim 1; said holder being of generally U-shape in cross-section, said opposed spaced arms constituting the arms of said U-shape, said holder having a web interconnecting said arms, said web being disposed adjacent the outer end of said eye portions, the free ends of said arms being disposed adjacent the inner end of said eye portions, said hooks having pin portions and inner arm portions merging at their ends into curved webs, said pin portion, inner arm portions, and webs of said hooks together defining said eye portions, said web of said holder being disposed adjacent said webs of said hooks, and the free ends of said hook arms being disposed adjacent and bearing against said pin portions and inner arm portions of said hooks where they define said eye portions, said free ends of said hook arms frictionally engaging said pin portions and inner arm portions of said hooks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,347,319 4/ 1944 Hanset 206--56 2,571,481 10/ 1951 Peguero 206-56 X 2,693,875 11/1954 Chatfee 206--5 6 2,939,147 6/ 1960 Jacobson 206-56 MARTHA L. RlCE, Primary Examiner. 

